It is feared that UK tourists and expats will be forced to leave the city of Valencia after a huge rally attended by tens of thousands of people highlighted that the city is “drowning” over spiralling rental costs.
The issue is becoming increasingly challenging for Spanish residents, particularly pensioners.
Tens of thousands took to the streets recently under the plea “Valencia s’ofega” – “Valencia is drowning”.
Some pensioners have revealed they have been forced to move many miles away from their city due to unaffordable rents, putting further strain on their ability to buy food and pay for other expenses.
The protesters have said they are prepared to battle for everything they deserve, vowing to continue their “sit-in” for days.
“We will not give up until we achieve our goals because our lives depend on it,” declared Alba Font, a demonstrator.
Antonio, 76, revealed to lasexta.com that he had to move 25 miles away from Valencia due to unaffordable rent costs. He said: “I have an average pension, and nothing was less than 600-700 euros [£583.50].”
He added that rent would consume half his income, explaining: “It’s 400 euros. I earn 1,040 [£866.92] and you have to add food and other expenses.”
Font also revealed that their resolve is turning into a concrete strategy. Since the demonstration over a week ago, protesters have set up a camp in front of the City Hall, consisting of around 20 tents.
The demonstrator said: “The camp is a political strategy built day by day. We have reclaimed the Town Hall square and made it ours, as a symbol of neighbourhood resistance. Now we are taking a step further: if we don’t have a home, the square alone is no longer enough for us. We want everything and we will fight for everything.”
Another person angrily asked: “Has anyone explained what the leaders of the City of Valencia did with all the money that the City made from the 2.2 million visitors a year? Did they do nothing at all to protect the people of the City and ensure that they could afford to continue to live there? Were there no opportunities to provide social housing or enact local laws to limit property price increases?”
According to recent estimates, more than 33 percent of all properties in the Balearic Islands are owned or rented by non-Spaniards.
Meanwhile, in the Canaries, foreigners have purchased 31.1 percent of homes, with Valencia not far behind at 28.8 percent. In Catalonia, the figure stands at 16.1 percent, while Andalusia it is 13.7 percent.
Valencia is home to a population of 839,770, but this is vastly outnumbered by the 2.2 million visitors the city received every year, drawn by its pleasant climate, beautiful coastal and inland areas, convenient flight links and delicious food and wine.
It is one of Spain’s most popular cruise destinations for West Mediterranean holidays, with the city easily accessible from the dock and plenty to do for the days in port.
